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Research reveals that thin people influence the way others around them eat

Thin friends who eat a lot could put your waistline at risk, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, which examines how other peoples' weight and food choices influence how much we eat.

22 Sep 2009

Bacterium responsible for outbreaks identified

University of Central Florida Microbiology Professor Keith Ireton has uncovered a previously unknown mechanism that plays an important role in the spread of a deadly food-borne bacterium.

22 Sep 2009

FDA announces grants to address unmet pediatric device needs

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today announced the awarding of three grants to stimulate the development and availability of medical devices for children.

22 Sep 2009

Congress urged to delay pending Medicaid cuts

A diverse coalition of health care industry groups has sent an urgent letter to the bipartisan leadership in Congress seeking to delay pending Medicaid cuts and to enact a more equitable formula to reimburse pharmacies for dispensing generic drugs to Medicaid beneficiaries.

22 Sep 2009

FDA approves Cordis Corporation's 2.25 mm CYPHER Stent

Cordis Corporation, a worldwide leader in the development and manufacture of interventional vascular technology, announced today that it has received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for a new, smaller version of the CYPHER® Sirolimus-eluting Coronary Stent, the world’s most studied drug-eluting stent that has been used to treat nearly 4 million people worldwide. The new 2.25 mm CYPHER® Stent is indicated for treatment of coronary blockages in small vessels, an often difficult-to-treat situation.

22 Sep 2009

Millions more in Horn of Africa could face food shortages this year, FAO says

Millions of additional people in the Horn of Africa could face food shortages this year because of poor harvests from a lack of rain, worsening conflicts and the El Nino climatic effect, the U.N. Food and Agriculture organization (FAO) said on Monday, Reuters reports.

21 Sep 2009

Perrigo purchases KV Pharmaceutical's ANDA for clindamycin phosphate and benzoyl peroxide gel

Perrigo Company (Nasdaq: PRGO;TASE) today announced that it has purchased the ANDA for clindamycin phosphate (1%) and benzoyl peroxide (5%) gel from KV Pharmaceutical for $14 million in cash at closing and a $2 million milestone payment upon the completion of a successful technical transfer. This product is the AB-rated equivalent to Stiefel Laboratories' (a subsidiary of Glaxo SmithKline) Duac(R) gel, indicated for the topical treatment of inflammatory acne vulgaris.

21 Sep 2009

FDA approves Neuralstem's IND for commencing a stem cell trial to treat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Neuralstem, Inc. (NYSE Amex: CUR) today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its Investigational New Drug (IND) application to commence a Phase I trial to treat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease) with its spinal cord stem cells.

21 Sep 2009

Study reveals that patients with NSCLC who received maintenance therapy with ALIMTA showed survival benefit

Data published today in The Lancet showed a survival benefit in nonsquamous patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received maintenance therapy with ALIMTA(R) (pemetrexed for injection) plus best supportive care as compared to placebo plus best supportive care.

21 Sep 2009

King Pharmaceuticals achieves milestone: Announces commercial availability of EMBEDA

King Pharmaceuticals(R), Inc. (NYSE: KG) today announced a true milestone as it marks the first commercial availability for EMBEDA(TM) (morphine sulfate and naltrexone hydrochloride) Extended Release Capsules, a long-acting Schedule II opioid analgesic for the management of moderate to severe pain when a continuous, around-the-clock opioid analgesic is needed for an extended period of time.

21 Sep 2009

Impax Laboratories challenges Galderma Laboratories' patents

Impax Laboratories, Inc. confirms that it has initiated a challenge of the patents listed by Galderma Laboratories, L.P. in connection with its ORACEA® (doxycycline) delayed-release capsules, 40 mg.

21 Sep 2009

Study reveals that Europe must change perspectives towards food security

A new report by leading food and sustainability scientists calls for Europe to take a new approach on food security, prioritizing health and sustainability in research and using a holistic view when making policy. The report has been jointly chaired by Peter Raspor, professor of food science and technology at the University of Ljubljana, Slovenia and Rudy Rabbinge, professor of sustainable development and systems innovation at Wageningen University, the Netherlands.

21 Sep 2009

Nutritional supplement leader Garden of Life acquired by Atrium Innovations

Atrium Innovations Inc. (TSX: ATB), a leading developer, manufacturer, and marketer of science-based and professionally supported products for the health and nutrition industry, announced today the purchase of Garden of Life, Inc., a leading formulator, distributor and marketer of nutritional supplement products.

21 Sep 2009

Optimized diabetes management with the CONTOUR(R) USB blood glucose meter

Bayer Diabetes Care today announced U.S. Food & Drug Administration clearance to market the CONTOUR(R) USB blood glucose meter. Bayer's CONTOUR USB meter is the first and only blood glucose monitor that plugs directly into a computer providing users with instant access to information that can help optimize diabetes management. The CONTOUR USB meter is integrated with Glucofacts(TM) DELUXE software for easy retrieval of data as well as longer-term tracking and analysis of blood glucose test results.

21 Sep 2009

Dialysis patient embarks on "Grandpa's Road Trip" with NxStage System One hemodialysis machine

NxStage Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: NXTM), a leading manufacturer of innovative dialysis products, today announced that home dialysis patient Harvey Wells, 57, has embarked on his third annual "Grandpa's Road Trip" with the NxStage(R) System One(TM). As a portable home hemodialysis machine, the NxStage System One provides Mr. Wells the opportunity to fit hemodialysis therapy into his own lifestyle and schedule. Mr. Wells is once again celebrating this freedom by traveling the country in his RV and sharing with other patients his experience doing home daily hemodialysis with the NxStage System One.

21 Sep 2009

Symposium to discuss the scientific approaches of the FDA

The Second Annual Science Writers Symposium on Nov. 4 and 5, 2009, at the FDA's White Oak campus in Silver Spring, Md., will highlight how the FDA applies novel scientific approaches to critical public health issues and the products it regulates. The symposium, featuring a lab tour and presentations by FDA scientists, will give writers a unique insight into the evolving field of regulatory science with an eye towards generating potential story ideas.

21 Sep 2009

Recent releases: Climate change, health; ITNS; Mexico H1N1; Policy Tracker; TB treatment; blogs

In addition to the Lancet's recent publication of an opinion piece and letter by 18 doctor association leaders about the potential health risks associated with climate change, the journal includes an editorial about sexual and reproductive health and climate change and a comment on the upcoming Copenhagen conference in December (9/19).

21 Sep 2009

Increasing the half life of proteins to treat diseases such as hepatitis B

Many biopharmaceuticals comprise small proteins that are quickly eliminated from the body. Scientists at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) combine such small proteins with a kind of molecular balloon that swells and thus prolongs the half-life of the proteins in the body. The TUM spin-off XL-Protein GmbH has now started to further develop this new technology with blockbuster potential.

21 Sep 2009

Despite signs of economic growth, world's poorest 'still not out of the woods,' U.N. Secretary-General says

During a news conference Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon highlighted the need to focus on the poorest people in the world even as "economists in developed nations are cautiously pointing to the first signs of renewed economic growth," the New York Times reports (MacFarquhar, 9/17).

21 Sep 2009

Abbott Prism HIV O Plus assay approved by FDA

The U. S. Food and Drug Administration today announced approval of the Abbott Prism HIV O Plus assay, as a screening tool designed to detect the presence of certain antibodies to HIV. The assay is one of five assays that run on the fully automated Abbott Prism System.

21 Sep 2009